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Junior pipers take world championships
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Rob MacNeil, 604.279.5422, ext. 326
Marianne Meadahl, Media & PR, 604.291.4323
Rob MacNeil, 604.279.5422, ext. 326
Marianne Meadahl, Media & PR, 604.291.4323
August 17, 2005
SFU's youngest pipe band won its fourth world championship, sweeping all categories in their competition in Glasgow, Scotland on Aug. 13.
The 12-17 year old members of the Robert Malcolm memorial Grade 3 band secured first place scores from all four competition judges, and finished first in the separate categories of drumming and bass section.
“This was a major victory for our young players, they played incredibly well,” says Rob MacNeil, band manager. The Grade 3 band, a feeder band to the other levels, placed second in its first ever competition in 1997. They compete every two years and have followed up with a string of championships in 1999, 2001 and 2003.
SFU's elite Grade 1 band finished third, with each of the top three bands in their competition placing just one point apart. First place went to the Scottish band Shotts & Dykehead. Pipe major Terry Lee said the local band was favored going into the championship's 75th anniversary. Also performing this year was the Robert Malcolm Grade 2 band, which failed to place.
The Grade 3 champions had spent two weeks before leaving for Scotland practicing daily in the backyard field of pipe sergeant and Surrey resident Jack Lee. The half-day sessions, often held under shade trees to ward off the grueling heat, paid off for the 28-member band, which is comprised of seven young Lee relatives, including pipe major Andrew Lee, Jack's son.
“We're so proud of the kids, they played great,” says Jack Lee. “It's a wonderful thing for a youngster to become a world champion.”
The young champions will remain in Scotland for another competition, billed as the second most important international contest, the Conal highland games, just outside Glasgow, on Aug. 27. The band will return Aug. 28.
(Jack and Terry Lee are reachable via cellphone in Scotland. Contact Rob MacNeil for details).
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The 12-17 year old members of the Robert Malcolm memorial Grade 3 band secured first place scores from all four competition judges, and finished first in the separate categories of drumming and bass section.
“This was a major victory for our young players, they played incredibly well,” says Rob MacNeil, band manager. The Grade 3 band, a feeder band to the other levels, placed second in its first ever competition in 1997. They compete every two years and have followed up with a string of championships in 1999, 2001 and 2003.
SFU's elite Grade 1 band finished third, with each of the top three bands in their competition placing just one point apart. First place went to the Scottish band Shotts & Dykehead. Pipe major Terry Lee said the local band was favored going into the championship's 75th anniversary. Also performing this year was the Robert Malcolm Grade 2 band, which failed to place.
The Grade 3 champions had spent two weeks before leaving for Scotland practicing daily in the backyard field of pipe sergeant and Surrey resident Jack Lee. The half-day sessions, often held under shade trees to ward off the grueling heat, paid off for the 28-member band, which is comprised of seven young Lee relatives, including pipe major Andrew Lee, Jack's son.
“We're so proud of the kids, they played great,” says Jack Lee. “It's a wonderful thing for a youngster to become a world champion.”
The young champions will remain in Scotland for another competition, billed as the second most important international contest, the Conal highland games, just outside Glasgow, on Aug. 27. The band will return Aug. 28.
(Jack and Terry Lee are reachable via cellphone in Scotland. Contact Rob MacNeil for details).
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